How to fill in cracks in a piece of wood?

[Paulthenovice]

 

 

Hi I’m looking to fill in these cracks in a piece of Camphor laurel any ideas as I’ve never done it before do you mix saw dust with a clear epoxy glue or just use plain clear epoxy glue. Will the cracks get bigger over time. How badly will you see the cracks after varnishing. Thanks.

[JacobZ]

Hi @Paulthenovice,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is wonderful to have you with us.

As these cracks are from splitting down the grain line, rather than material being removed, I would be more inclined to try gluing and clamping the timber to close up the cracks rather than filling them. If material had been removed, you would look to replace it with a sawdust and glue mixture, but because the material is all still there, it has just pulled apart from each other; gluing and clamping would be better.

If you'd like to try this method, use a quality wood glue such as this Sika SikaBond® PVA Woodworking Glue, apply it to the inside of the cracks, then use some strong clamps that can be tightened fairly tightly, like F clamps or sash clamps, to hold the timber together while the glue sets overnight.

Modern woodworking glues are actually stronger than the natural glue (lignin) that holds the wood fibres (cellulose) together, so unless there is a structural issue with the timber, this should close the cracks long term.

By closing the gaps instead of filling them, they will be far less perceptible than a filler would be after varnishing.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Paulthenovice]

Thanks for that info. I did speak to the supplier of that wood. He said if I glue and clamp over time it may open up again. So I was thinking of filling the crack with epoxy but didn’t know which one to use. If I glue it, there may still be gaps and the glue is white. Will the varnish cover the glue

[JacobZ]

Hi @Paulthenovice,

It really depends on the moisture content of the board. Dried timbers are usually pretty stable, but if there is moisture left in the timber, and there is already a crack, which usually happens because of twisting or stress within the timber itself, then it can certainly open up more over time. I'd say it is best to trust the advice of your supplier, as they would have dealt with this timber on many occasions.

I'd use PC-Clear 25ml Epoxy Putty mixed with sawdust. This should give you the cleanest and strongest fill possible. It will look different to the solid timber, but it won't look bad by any means.

Let me know if you have further questions.

Jacob